a.steed's.lifehttp://www.andreasteed.com
"Life is 10% of what you make it and 90% of how you take it."enSummer Hairhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1898
<p>
I was looking to look a little different, and am not *quite* ready to chop all my hair off yet.&nbsp; (I&#39;m tempted...but it sure takes a long time to grow out.)&nbsp; So instead, I added a little more sunshine to my dark hair:</p>
<p>
<img alt="Bayalage Long Brown Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/balayage04212015_4.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 1067px;" /></p>
<p>
I had my hair stylist add more <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1851">balayage highlights</a> and some more layers.&nbsp; Looks pretty bright!</p>
<p>
<img alt="Long Hair Balayage" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/balayage04212015_3.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 920px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Long Hair Balayage Technique" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/balayage04212015_2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 940px;" /></p>
<p>
My hair has never been so light.&nbsp; But hey, why not?&nbsp; Summer is just around the corner...</p>
<p>
<img alt="Long Curly Hair Balayage Color" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/balayage04212015_1.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 911px;" /></p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1898#commentsAndreafashionFri, 24 Apr 2015 05:00:00 +0000Andrea1898 at http://www.andreasteed.comLas Vegas Photo Scavenger Hunthttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1877
<p>
Last October, when my brother and I met my mom out in Las Vegas for a weekend visit, I told her she should make us a scavenger hunt like she used to do for our birthday parties when we were kids.&nbsp; She took me seriously!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
She compiled a list of 100 things for us to find (and photograph) while we were there -- most were general &quot;Las Vegas&quot; things, and some are specific to <em>her </em>world in Las Vegas.&nbsp; While we visited and took in some Las Vegas sights, the hunt made for a really fun theme throughout our weeked of silly things to look for.</p>
<p>
Since we had such a good time doing it, we wanted to share the list, a few of the photos we collected during our scavenger hunt, and offer a challenge for anyone else making a Las Vegas trip!</p>
<p>
<img alt="Try the Fabulous Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt - 100 Items to Find!" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/LVscavengerhunt_0.png" style="width: 600px; height: 800px;" /></p>
<hr />
<p class="rtecenter">
<em>Download Printable PDF:</em><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/documents/LasVegasScavengerHunt.pdf">Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt List</a></strong></p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<em>Download Printable Word Document: </em><strong><a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/documents/LasVegasScavengerHunt.docx"><br />
Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt List</a></strong></p>
<hr />
<p>
This would be so much fun to do with a big group of people--or two groups, who could compete for the most points!</p>
<p>
<strong>How many can YOU find in a weekend in Las Vegas?</strong></p>
<div>
<ol>
<li>
<p>
Photo of everyone in your party doing a shot</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Brochure from any wedding chapel in Las Vegas</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A photo of you with a man or woman who has a Mullet</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Take a picture with an impersonator</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Photo Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/4_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 783px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Sneak into a random strangers group photo</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Photo of you with a guy named Steve (ID required)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Get a piggyback ride from a stranger</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Take a picture in front of the <em>Welcome to Las Vegas</em> sign past Mandalay Bay</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavavenger Hunt - Bachelorette Party" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/8_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 741px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Take a photo with a Roman guard (they&#39;re only out at certain times) at Caesar&#39;s</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Some moving sidewalk stunt</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Teeny flash mob. Must draft four strangers into your crazy dance</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/11_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Poker chips from 3 different casinos ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Menu from a fast food chain</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Ticket from Venetian Gondola ride ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Coin bucket from a casino</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Glow in the dark necklace ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Elvis related souvenir ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Green craps dice ($)</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/18_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Porn slapper cards of brunette, blonde and red head</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Cork from wine bottle</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Post card with Eiffel Tower on it ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Timeshare promotional flyer</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
UNLV sweatshirt ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Beverage napkins from a casino</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Team pic with Flamingo Sign</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/25_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 338px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A musician playing</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Team pic with Elvis</p>
<p> <img alt="Team Picture with Elvis - Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/27_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Necklace beverage container ($)</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/28_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 800px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Deck of cards</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Harley Davidson logo</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Matchbook from casino</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Mini salt &amp; pepper from room service</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Do not disturb sign from hotel room</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Baggage check ticket</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Coca cola souvenir ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Tacky Las Vegas souvenir ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Pic of a bachelor/bachelorette party</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Paper place mat from Denny&rsquo;s</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Pic with one of the M &amp; M&#39;s</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/39a_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 1065px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Business card from a pit boss</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Brochure from Madame Tousaurd&#39;s Wax Museum or the Titanic Exhibit</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A coupon book from one of the malls</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Beads from Freemont Street</p>
<p> <img alt="Beads on Fremont Street - Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/43_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 800px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Monorail ticket ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture with a Disney character</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture with water beverage seller or of guy on bridges asking for beer</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picking an off strip casino/non Fremont Street casino and something from it</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture with the butts of women on Riviera doors</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Someone using a pay phone</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A tiger</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A shark</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A bike &quot;cop&quot;</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Photo Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/52_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 1065px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A crystal chandelier</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A juggling bartender</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of a person wearing socks with sandals</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Photo Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/55_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 757px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of an armored truck</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of anything that displays the time in a casino</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Roulette wheel displaying the number 00 was hit</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Someone with a piece of clothing with Elvis on it</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Sign with a &quot;Z&quot; in it.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Photo of a man with a handlebar mustache</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of a girl in a short, tight dress and high heels</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/62_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 1179px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Photo of a bride</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Photo of a divorcee (proof?)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Hotel water bottles</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
M&amp;M&#39;s world bag</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A team picture with the million dollars at Binion&rsquo;s</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of a biker at Hogs n Heifers</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A team picture with some of the pit dancers at any of the casinos.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Souvenir flat penny from a casino</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture in front of a fountain somewhere</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/71_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 800px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A line of at least 10 taxis</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A body of water</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/LV_saturday_12.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 899px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
An intricate, inlaid tile design in a floor</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
An unusual handle on a door</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A Chicago t-shirt</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/76_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 719px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Bellagio fountain</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Replica Arc de Triumph at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187147-Paris_Ile_de_France-Vacations.html" target="_blank">Paris</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Pink flamingo&#39;s</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Ceiling in Bellagio</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Square tiny tiles on horse</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of one of the team giving a bride a kiss on the cheek</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Bling</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of your twin</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/84_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 554px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A beautiful arrangement of flowers</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Someone teaching you a foreign song or dance and you guys singing/dancing it -bonus the farthest away foreigner</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture with a naked person</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Limo driver&rsquo;s card</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture with a wine barrel</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Picture of you on TV</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
12 packets of salt - any fast food place</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A losing ticket from a sportsbook</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A pair of chopsticks</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A photo of any celeb</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A ticket stub to a movie ($)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A pen from a casino hotel - must be &quot;borrowed&quot; from reception</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A picture of the inside of a toilet stall</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
A Wirtz Distribution truck</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
My license plate NOT in or on Audrey&#39;s Spyder, truck, or 5<sup>th</sup> Wheel</p>
<p> <img alt="Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/99_sm.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin-left: -40px;" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
Something unique, NOT on this list</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<hr />
<p>
<br />
Have fun &amp; good luck!</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1877#commentsAndreafamilytravelFri, 06 Mar 2015 14:40:03 +0000Andrea1877 at http://www.andreasteed.comPaxton's Fire Department Bedroomhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1874
<p>
A couple of weeks ago, we scored a great deal on a set of used bedroom furniture for Paxton&#39;s room.&nbsp; His room had been a hodge podge of hand-me-down and Craigslist furniture, so this set was a very nice upgrade.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I finally got around to hanging all his fire department-themed artwork last week and thought I&#39;d share the &quot;finished&quot; photos.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Fire Department Themed Boys Bedroom" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_1.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<p>
I&#39;ve loved his bedding set that we bought at Target years ago.&nbsp; Unfortunately, it&#39;s no longer available (though <a href="http://www.target.com/p/sports-fan-bedding-collection/-/A-14183476#prodSlot=medium_3_7&amp;term=boys+bedding+set">this one is similar</a>) but we saw the same comforter on a bed in an episode of Good Luck Charlie this week!&nbsp; Paxton thought that was pretty cool. :)</p>
<p>
<img alt="Paxton Fire Department Framed Canvas Print" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_3.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 395px;" /></p>
<p>
<em>About the artwork: </em></p>
<h5>
<strong>PAXTON Fire Truck Canvas Print</strong></h5>
<p>
Last summer we stopped in Paxton, IL to see the fire station with Paxton&#39;s name all over it on our way home from Chicago.&nbsp; While we were there, I took that photo hanging over his bed.&nbsp; Believe it or not, the photo was taken through the glass of the fire station garage with my phone&#39;s camera!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I had it printed at Zazzle as a 36&quot; x 24&quot; premium gloss <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com/go/canvasposter">canvas poster print</a>, spray-mounted it to a cardboard backing and framed it in an <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/217143967">open-backed barnwood frame</a> that I bought on Etsy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
It&#39;s like having his very own fire truck! :)</p>
<h5>
<strong>Wood &quot;P&quot; </strong></h5>
<p>
Both of my kids have one of my <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com">wood signs</a> in their room.&nbsp; Paxton&#39;s is my basic brown <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com/signs/1ft-monogram-sign">Monogram Sign</a>, though I&#39;ve considered making him a &quot;Paxton Fire Department&quot; <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com/signs/custom-signs">custom sign</a> with hooks below it to hang costumes.&nbsp; Maybe one of these days...</p>
<p>
<img alt="Framed T-Shirts" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<h5>
<strong>Framed T-Shirts</strong></h5>
<p>
My dad (a retired Chief from the Chicago Fire Department) has provided us with TONS of CFD t-shirts over the years, so I used several of them in the artwork for Paxton&#39;s room.&nbsp; Instructions for how I framed them are provided here in my <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1488">Framed T-Shirt Art Tutorial</a>.&nbsp; The frames are all spraypainted red.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Framed Fire Department T-Shirt Art" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_6.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 900px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Vintage Water Valve Handles as Drawer Pulls" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_4.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 900px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Red Vintage Water Valve Drawer Pulls" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_5.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<h5>
<strong>Red Vintage Water Valve Drawer Pulls</strong></h5>
<p>
Several of the drawer pulls on his large dresser were not staying on very well, and the baseball &amp; football pulls that the seller had used in her son&#39;s room didn&#39;t really go well with Paxton&#39;s room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I&#39;ve been eyeing some vintage water valve handles for years as an accent in his Fire Department bedroom, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to buy them! I found two sets of 4 red handles on Etsy from a store called <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/palacecastaway">palacecastaway</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Boys Bedroom" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_8.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<h5>
<strong>Brick Wall!?</strong></h5>
<p>
I&#39;ll probably never ACTUALLY do this, but if I was a regular home-decor DIY project blogger, I&#39;d totally get some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7FE3YA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00C7FE3YA&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;linkId=WYZ74W53UUPXMAW7">faux brick wallpaper</a> and turn that back wall into a brick wall -- just like at the firehouses I grew up seeing in Chicago. :)</p>
<p>
<img alt="Boys Fire Station Themed Bedroom" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/paxton_room_7.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<p>
So that&#39;s it, Paxton&#39;s new room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
His reaction?&nbsp; He gave me an appreciative nod and a &quot;<em>This is pretty impressive!</em>&quot; comment.&nbsp;</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1874#commentsdecoratingPaxtonMon, 02 Mar 2015 15:07:08 +0000Andrea1874 at http://www.andreasteed.comQuick & Easy Rope Braid Tutorialhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1871
<p>
When your hair is as long and as <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1296">curly</a> as mine is, you tend to look for a hairstyle that looks decent, tames the mane, and most importantly is FAST and EASY.&nbsp; A plain ponytail just looks messy on me, so this Rope Braid (I also call it my &quot;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=katniss+braid&amp;biw=1920&amp;bih=894&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=9GjuVJq-K8_bsATU-4DIBA&amp;ved=0CB0QsAQ">Katniss Braid</a>&quot;--but it&#39;s not exactly like hers) has become my go-to hairstyle on days when I don&#39;t have time to mess with wearing (and fixing) my hair down.</p>
<p>
People ask me how to do this ALL. THE. TIME.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
It literally takes less than 2 minutes--and you don&#39;t even have to have clean hair or even brush it!&nbsp; Sometimes I even put it up like this straight from the shower while my hair is still wet.</p>
<p>
All you need is a ponytail holder...and maybe a clip (if you aren&#39;t like me--I just use my teeth...You&#39;ll see.)</p>
<p>
So, first...here&#39;s what it looks like from the back:</p>
<p>
<img alt="Easy Rope Braid Tutorial for Long Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/ropebraid_1.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 954px;" /></p>
<p>
Pretty, right?&nbsp; Looks complicated...but it&#39;s really not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I had Ayla (my 8-year-old) help me make a quick video tutorial one day when I was fixing my hair.&nbsp; I&#39;m SO <em>not </em>a video-blogger, so this is a VERY basic and non-professional video.&nbsp; Ayla seemed to have a little trouble holding the camera up high enough (even though she was standing on the toilet), which is why I spent a lot of the video bending down to make sure my hair is actually in the frame! :)&nbsp; She did good though...</p>
<p>
Here&#39;s how it&#39;s done...</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yDQOWYrOF3Y?rel=0" width="600"></iframe></p>
<p>
In case you have trouble understanding me, or if I talk too fast or don&#39;t explain well enough in the video what I&#39;m doing, here are the step-by-step instructions, written out:</p>
<ol>
<li>
Part your hair to one side and separate out a small bit of bangs (if you want) on the deeper side of the part.</li>
<li>
Start your twist on the narrow side of the part and section out two small pieces from the top, around your face.</li>
<li>
Twist the lower piece (B) over the upper piece (A), letting the top piece (A) come down.&nbsp;</li>
<li>
Add another small section from the front of your hair to the piece that was twisted around (A).</li>
<li>
Then twist that piece (A) over piece (B).</li>
<li>
Add another section of hair to piece (B) and twist again.</li>
<li>
Continue all the way around your head until you reach the other side of your neck.&nbsp;</li>
<li>
Twist that piece to hold it all together and either clip it in place, or do like I do, and hold it in your teeth while you twist the other side. :)</li>
<li>
Leaving the bangs out, begin again on the other side of your head, twisting the lower section over the upper section until you reach the bottom of your neck.</li>
<li>
At this point, you will have three pieces sectioned.&nbsp; The original twist from the narrow side of your part, and the two pieces you have been twisting from the deep side of your part.&nbsp; Braid them with a normal 3-strand braid to finish it off.&nbsp; If the three sections are uneven, you can re-section them with your fingers before you start the braid.</li>
<li>
I like to curl my bangs back with a large-barrel curling iron to finish off the look.</li>
</ol>
<p>
Viola!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="2-Minute Rope Braid - Easy &amp; Cute!" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/ropebraid_3.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 937px;" /></p>
<p>
An easy, fast hairdo that stays put all day, keeps your hair off your neck, and looks pretty fancy! :)</p>
<p>
<img alt="Rope Braid Side View - So fast &amp; easy to do!" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/ropebraid_2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 1067px;" /></p>
<p>
This style is great for layered hair, since it pulls in the layers as you twist around your face.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Rope Braid Side View - Great for long curly hair!" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/ropebraid_4.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 945px;" /></p>
<p>
If your hair is shorter, you can just put it into a ponytail at the bottom instead of continuing a braid down your shoulder.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Better than a Ponytail -- The &quot;Catniss&quot; Braid" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/ropebraid_5.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 985px;" /></p>
<p>
Natalia at <a href="http://manouvellemode.com/2013/05/09/the-rope-braid/">MaNouvelleMode</a> has a great tutorial on how to do a version of this as well as well as tons of other great hair tutorials!&nbsp; Check hers out too!</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1871#commentsAndreafashiontutorialWed, 25 Feb 2015 23:42:28 +0000Andrea1871 at http://www.andreasteed.comUplift 900 Standing Desk Reviewhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1869
<p>
<img alt="Adjustable Desk - Seated to Standing Position - Uplift 900" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_adjustable_desk.gif" style="width: 600px; height: 399px;" /></p>
<p>
Since August 2014 (about 6 months from when this review was written), I&#39;ve really enjoyed the versatility of a seated or standing desktop in my home office via an <a href="http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-900-electric-sit-stand-desk-base-white.html">Uplift 900 Adjustable Desk</a>, so I thought I&#39;d write a quick review.</p>
<h4>
Why should you have an adjustable desk?</h4>
<p>
For the past year, my husband Ben has benefited from having an <a href="http://www.geekdesk.com/geekdesk-v3">adjustable Geek Desk</a> in his home office which allows him to adjust his posture, switching from seated to standing positions throughout the day to help relieve a chronic back injury.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
When I also started suffering from some pain in my right shoulder and both of my hips, I decided it was time to give MY office an overhaul and figure out a way to incorporate both standing and sitting while I work.</p>
<h4>
What are the options for an adjustable desk?</h4>
<p>
Like Ben, I <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com">work from home</a>, but my office happens to be adjacent to the living room and kitchen areas of our house -- a VERY high visibility area of our home.&nbsp; So, in addition to wanting an adjustable-height workspace, I also still wanted it to look like part of our house--not like typical office furniture.</p>
<p>
So I went shopping, and found several viable options.&nbsp; The <a href="http://www.geekdesk.com/geekdesk-v3">Geek Desk</a> was pretty pricey at $525 for the smaller frame and didn&#39;t quite accomodate the length of workspace that I needed in my office.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<img alt="Geek Desk v3 Frame" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/geekdesk.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 399px;" /></p>
<p>
I also considered a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;field-keywords=varidesk&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;linkId=N5SMYHKNFY5MWTGX">VariDesk</a>, which sits on top of your desktop, and is significantly cheaper at about $300, but then only my computer space would be adjustable, which didn&#39;t give me an adjustable <a href="http://signsbyandrea.com">painting workspace</a>, so it wasn&#39;t practical for my purposes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="VariDesk Pro" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/varidesk.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 371px;" /></p>
<p>
Amazon also carries several additional variations of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;field-keywords=adjustable%20desk&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aadjustable%20desk&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;linkId=J6DYA5A3YVOGFYS7">adjustable or standing desks</a> worth looking at if you&#39;re shopping for something similar, like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HRFEIF4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00HRFEIF4&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;linkId=F44WC7TXVTEDSCG5">Jarvis Electric</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005MR5YA2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B005MR5YA2&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;linkId=HPGCVJF5ZLB3EUFI">MultiTable Mod Table</a>, or the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009MQTMF2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B009MQTMF2&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=infinipublis-20&amp;linkId=NRZOAL264BFOTAAD">Ergotron WorkFit-D</a>.</p>
<p>
Ultimately, though I decided on the <strong><a href="http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-900-electric-sit-stand-desk-base-white.html">Uplift 900 Height-Adjustable Stand-Up Desk Base</a></strong> for several reasons:&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-900-electric-sit-stand-desk-base-white.html"><img alt="UPLIFT 900 Height-Adjustable Stand-Up Desk Base (White Frame)" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 433px;" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Reasonably Priced</strong> - The Uplift 900 landed right in the middle of the high and low-end options at $499 (in August 2014) with free shipping.</li>
<li>
<strong>Accomodates Wide Width Desktops</strong> - It was important that I have lots of adjustable workspace for both my computer and my painting workspace. The Uplift 900 expands with enough support&nbsp; to accommodate my existing 96&quot; x 23.5&quot; white melamine desktop.</li>
<li>
<strong>Color Options</strong> - The base came in white, which would blend in seamlessly with the other desk furniture already in my office...and not look too &quot;office-y&quot; in the middle of our home.&nbsp; <em>(It also comes in black and silver.)</em></li>
<li>
<strong>Streamlined Look</strong> - Asthetically, I liked that it has a t-bar style of support and didn&#39;t have the large visible metal support bar underneath the frame like my husband&#39;s Geek Desk has.&nbsp; Since my office and desk is more visible to the rest of our home, I wanted it to blend as much as possible.</li>
<li>
<strong>Programmable Keypad</strong>- Unlike Ben&#39;s Geek Desk, I like that the Uplift 900 has a keypad with programmable memory buttons to &quot;remember&quot; the various heights that I&#39;d use regularly.&nbsp; This has been particularly helpful to adjust down to the correct seated position without going TOO low and crushing all the things stored underneath my desk. :)</li>
</ul>
<p>
<a href="http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-900-electric-sit-stand-desk-base-white.html"><img alt="Memory Keypad for Uplift 900 Adjustable Desk" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_3.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Great Customer Support and Information</strong> - I was very impressed with The Human Solution&#39;s thorough video demonstrations of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GIZZ4em5i18?rel=0">how the desk works</a>, how much weight it can hold, and even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ukRo8KvGQAg?rel=0">exactly how to assemble it</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GIZZ4em5i18?rel=0" width="600"></iframe></p>
<h4>
Was it hard to put together?</h4>
<p>
It&#39;s extremely heavy, but it&#39;s so easy to assemble, thanks to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ukRo8KvGQAg?rel=0">video assembly instructions</a>. I needed help turning the desk over once it was assembled, but otherwise was able to do the entire assembly on my own.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Though I opted not to buy all the <a href="http://youtu.be/wpEWx86_o3g">extra accessories</a>&nbsp; that are available (I figured I could add those later if I found I needed them), I did appreciate the self-adhesive re-useable cord keepers they included to help keep all the cords beneath my desk corralled.&nbsp; With those installed beneath the desktop, I&#39;m able to easily change monitors, add a new printer, move speaker cables, etc. without having to re-zip-tie every cord. It&#39;s the little things that make me happy. :)</p>
<p>
<img alt="Controlling wires underneath the Uplift 900 Height-Adjustable Desk" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_6.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 386px;" /></p>
<p>
Here&#39;s a look at the underside of my desk.&nbsp; You can see how the support beam down the center is extended between the legs of the desk, as well as where the power supply control box and keypad are attached to the desktop.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Underneath the Uplift 900 Adjustable Desk Frame" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_5.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 363px;" /></p>
<h4>
Is it loud, or cumbersome to change heights?</h4>
<p>
Nope. It&#39;s very quiet and simple to use, so it&#39;s no problem to switch back and forth as often as necessary.&nbsp; Here&#39;s a short video I made to show how quiet it is, and how quickly it adjusts:</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NaKQgAmU9ZU?rel=0" width="600"></iframe></p>
<h4>
How much do you really use it?</h4>
<p>
I probably stand about 5 to 6 hours of each day and sit 3 to 4 hours of the day, but it depends a bit on what I&#39;m working on, and how I&#39;m feeling.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I LOVE that it&#39;s not just one option or the other, and in fact, sometimes I adjust the height by just an inch or two to relieve shoulder pain or eye strain if I happen to be doing more typing or browsing, etc. &nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Uplift 900 Adjustable Height Desk Review - Seated Position" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 394px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Uplift 900 Adjustable Desk - Standing Position" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_1.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 414px;" /></p>
<h4>
Anything else I should consider before I buy?</h4>
<p>
There are just a couple of things I&#39;d like to see as improvements or offer as warnings:</p>
<ul>
<li>
I wish the keypad had a lock feature.&nbsp; If you have kids (which I do), there&#39;s nothing stopping them from pressing those buttons and changing your desk height.&nbsp; My kids know they are NOT allowed to touch, but I bought the desk when they were old enough to understand (and obey) that.&nbsp; A 2-year old could certainly not resist!</li>
<li>
The more weight you put on top of the desk, the slower it will transition, since the motor has to work harder.&nbsp; That&#39;s one of the reasons I opted NOT to buy the CPU case that would move with the desk as it adjusts -- though honestly, I don&#39;t think it would have been a problem.&nbsp; This sucker is STURDY!</li>
</ul>
<h4>
Do you love it?</h4>
<p>
Emphatically, yes! Overall, I have been 100% pleased with my decision. I would NEVER go back to a sole-ly sitting desk again.&nbsp; The relief I&#39;ve had in my shoulder and hips has been worth every penny.&nbsp; Plus, I enjoy not having to be so sedentary on long work days.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Uplift 900 Adjustable Desk Review - Seated to Standing Position" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/uplift900_adjustable_desk2.gif" style="width: 600px; height: 397px;" /></p>
<h4>
But what about ___________?</h4>
<p>
If you have any questions about how the Uplift 900 works, my experience with buying from The Human Solution (which was great), or anything else related, be sure to comment below and I&#39;ll do my best to answer!</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1869#commentsAndreadecoratingproduct reviewFri, 20 Feb 2015 18:20:56 +0000Andrea1869 at http://www.andreasteed.comVoice Solutions, Not Complaintshttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1860
<p>
After our very fun trip to <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1855">LEGOLand Florida</a> over Christmas break, Ayla and Ben decided to write a letter to LEGOland to bring to their attention the ONLY disappointing part of our day -- There wasn&#39;t much LEGO Friends representation at the park other than a single shop, and LEGO Friends are Ayla&#39;s <em>favorite </em>kinds of LEGO.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Lego Friends Minifigure" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legofriend.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 160px; float: right;" />Her main frustration was that she wasn&#39;t able to trade a LEGO Friends minifigure with any of the employees like Paxton was able to do, because the nametags that the employees wear to hold their minifigures aren&#39;t able to hold the Lego Friends characters because of the way the Friends are designed.</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<img alt="Legoland Nametag" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legolandnametag1.jpg" style="width: 403px; height: 543px;" /></p>
<p>
The regular minifigures attached to the front of the nametag, rather than the top, which is how the LEGO Friends characters would have to attach.</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<img alt="Legoland Nametag" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legolandnametag2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 399px;" /></p>
<p>
So, Ayla and Ben sent a letter.&nbsp; Ben explained to her about how instead of just sending a complaint, it would be more helpful to <a href="http://florida.legoland.com/en/">LEGOLand</a> and all the other girls who like LEGO Friends if she offered a solution to the problem.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
In her letter, Ayla suggested they modify the nametags to accomodate the LEGO Friends characters as well.&nbsp; She also sent one of her own LEGO Friends characters with her letter in the hopes that they might offer her a trade after all, since she wasn&#39;t able to do it at the park.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Letter to Legoland" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/aylasletter.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 624px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Legoland Letter" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/daddysletter.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 591px;" /></p>
<p>
It never hurts to ask--and she understood that she might not ever get a response, but she wanted to try.</p>
<p>
Today, we received a package in the mail from the LEGOLand team in response to her letter.&nbsp; That&#39;s a pretty big package for a letter!!!</p>
<p>
<img alt="Package from Legoland" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter1.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 412px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Letter from Legoland" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter6.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Legoland Letter" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p>
<p>
In addition to a personally written letter thanking Ayla for her suggestions, she received the &quot;Andrea&quot; Lego Friend character she had sent them AND an &quot;Olivia&quot; one to join her, a new LEGO Friends LEGO set to build, AND her very own LEGOLand Nametag!</p>
<p>
<img alt="New Lego Friends Legoland Nametag" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter3.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 900px;" /></p>
<p>
Notice how <em>her </em>nametag holds the LEGO Friends&#39; characters?&nbsp; It turns out, as a DIRECT result of Ayla&#39;s letter, they ordered 1500 pieces to modify the LEGOLand employees nametags so that from here forward, they&#39;d be able to offer LEGO Friends characters in their minifigure trades!</p>
<p>
<img alt="New Lego Friends Legoland Nametag" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter5.jpg" /></p>
<p>
Talk about making a difference. :)&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Even better, they told her they are in the process of building a brand new area at LEGOLand called <a href="http://attractionsmagazine.com/legoland-florida-announces-new-lego-friends-land-hotel-opening-date/ ">Heartlake City</a>, opening this summer and offered Ayla a <a href="http://florida.legoland.com/en/buy_tickets/VIP-Experiences/VIP-Experience---Emmas-Heartlake-Salon/">VIP experience at the Heartlake Salon</a> and an opportunity to meet Emma (one of the Friends). All that AND 4 tickets for our family to spend another day at LEGOland!</p>
<p>
<img alt="Legoland Response" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/legoletter4.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /> Wow.&nbsp; I guess we&#39;ll be going back!&nbsp; Thank you LEGOLand!&nbsp; You certainly made her day!</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1860#commentsAylaBentravelMon, 19 Jan 2015 19:46:48 +0000Andrea1860 at http://www.andreasteed.comGirl Scout Cookies for Sale!http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1859
<p>
It&#39;s official! The Girl Scout cookie selling season has begun.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Ayla really enjoyed selling last year (<a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1733">we walked the neighborhood with a wagon</a>) and is very excited about doing it again this year.&nbsp; It&#39;s a good opportunity for her to practice talking to adults, answering their questions and counting money and making change.&nbsp; I try *very* hard to let her do the talking!&nbsp; Which isn&#39;t too hard since we walk up and down about 100 VERY hilly driveways to do it!</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/cookies2015.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 592px;" /></p>
<p>
So...until we collect cases and cases of cookie boxes and hit the streets of our neighborhood, she is taking pre-orders and will be able to begin delivering your cookies to you on February 7th.</p>
<p>
If you&#39;d like to support her Troop and get a tasty box (or 6) of cookies at the same time, you can post here or email me at <strong>mrs@bensteed.com</strong> with your order.&nbsp;<em> Please address your order to AYLA, as she will be taking care of the &quot;business&quot;. :) </em></p>
<p>
Boxes are $3.50 each. Here are the <a href="http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/meet_the_cookies.asp">flavors</a> our area is carrying:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Savannah Smiles</strong> - Crisp, zesty lemon cookies</li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Trefoils</strong> - Traditional shortbread cookies</span></li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Do-Si-Dos </strong>- Peanut butter sandwich cookies</span></li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Samoas </strong>- Caramel, coconut &amp; chocolate</span></li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Rah-Rah Raisins</strong> - Oatmeal raisin &amp; greek yogurt flavored chunks</span></li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Tagalongs </strong>- Peanut butter patties covered in chocolate</span></li>
<li>
<span class="text_exposed_show"><strong>Thin Mints</strong> - Chocolate mint</span></li>
</ul>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2015/cookies.jpg" style="width: 511px; height: 264px;" /></p>
<p>
<span data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" data-reactid=".2f.1:3:1:$comment10152966152414098_10152966166929098:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".2f.1:3:1:$comment10152966152414098_10152966166929098:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".2f.1:3:1:$comment10152966152414098_10152966166929098:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Unfortunately, our area is not offering the &quot;buy online &amp; have your cookies shipped&quot; option (maybe next year?), but if our Chicago family &amp; friends would like to order any boxes, we will be in town at the end of March and can bring them to you then!</span></span></span></p>
<p>
Thank you for supporting Ayla and her troop!</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1859#commentsAylagirl scoutsFri, 16 Jan 2015 14:43:33 +0000Andrea1859 at http://www.andreasteed.comBalayage Hairhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1851
<p>
I&#39;ve caught the bug.&nbsp; After my <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1774">first hair-coloring experience</a> earlier this year, it was finally time for a touch-up.&nbsp; Last time, I went with an ombre technique, blending my dark hair into a lighter, caramel color.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
This time though, I wanted to keep some of my darker hair and have a little more contrast throughout, so I asked for a highlighted look instead.&nbsp; While I was looking for ideas, I came across a trend called &quot;<a href="http://www.dailymakeover.com/trends/hair/balayage-highlights-celebrity-hair-color/">Balayage</a>&quot; - which is a technique of painting strands of hair to create a more natural, sun-kissed look.</p>
<p>
See <a href="http://www.thelovehanger.com/2011/12/ombre-hair-vs-balayage.html">Ombre vs. Balayage</a> for more info...</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&amp;bih=894&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=1&amp;q=balayage+hair&amp;oq=balayage+hair&amp;gs_l=img.3...353819.355635.0.355775.10.8.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.msedr...0...1c.1.60.img..10.0.0.FriAokNVEqw&amp;bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&amp;bvm=bv.82001339,d.eXY&amp;dpr=1&amp;ech=1&amp;psi=1CeUVIzNGIergwTFm4TgCQ.1418995666371.5&amp;ei=1CeUVIzNGIergwTFm4TgCQ&amp;emsg=NCSR&amp;noj=1"><img alt="Balayage Hair Ideas" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/balayage3.jpg" style="width: 458px; height: 988px;" /></a></p>
<p>
I asked my stylist to make me look like Lily Aldridge or Kate Beckinsale. :) She did her best with what she had to work with!</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/balayage1.jpg" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/balayage2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 880px;" /></p>
<p>
I&#39;m happy! It&#39;s always fun to look a little different for a change.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Balayage Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/after_balayage2.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 471px;" /></p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1851#commentsAndreaFri, 19 Dec 2014 13:46:22 +0000Andrea1851 at http://www.andreasteed.comColor Me Happy: Swatchedhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1836
<p>
I am energized by color.&nbsp; It doesn&#39;t necessarily have to be a BOLD color, or a wild color, but if it&#39;s the <em>right</em> color, then all is perfect in the world...&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Finding the right color meant everything to me in my <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1340">scrapbooking</a> days <em>(how many hours did I spend searching for the perfect shade of Bazzill cardstock?). </em>I think about it every time I get dressed in the morning and look for the right shoes and <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1287">earrings</a> for an outfit.&nbsp; And it definitely holds true as I&#39;ve been sloooowwwly decorating each <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/home_tour">room in our house</a>.&nbsp; No matter what the canvas - the right color scheme pulls everything together.</p>
<p>
When Ben told me about his idea to build a website that lets you browse thousands of inspiring images by color (in my case, I was smitten with the home decor-related photographs and products), my eyes got wide and my head started spinning. &nbsp;</p>
<blockquote><p>
<em>Ooooh! If I could look through a ton of photos that used MY colors, it would be so much easier to get ideas for what to buy and how to curate a room that actually looks good!</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>
Enter his new color-drenched website: <a href="http://swatched.com"><strong>Swatched</strong></a></p>
<p>
<a href="http://swatched.com"><img alt="SWATCHED.com - Browse by Color for Home Decor Inspiration and Products" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched_splash_600.png" style="width: 600px; height: 446px;" /></a></p>
<p>
I&#39;ve been organizing by color for years...buttons, stickers, clothing, markers, papers...you name it!&nbsp; To see a rainbow of photos and products presented like this just gets me giddy.&nbsp; It&#39;s fun to look at, gets my creative juices flowing, and gets me excited about decorating.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://swatched.com/decor/860111"><img alt="SWATCHED - &quot;Red Devil&quot; Modern Kitchen Stools" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched0.png" style="width: 600px; height: 229px;" /></a></p>
<p>
Here&#39;s an example of how I&#39;ve used <a href="http://swatched.com/decor">Swatched</a> to browse and shop for ideas in our home.</p>
<p>
Our <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1557">living room</a> is in a perpetual state of &quot;almost there&quot;.&nbsp; I&#39;m still looking for the right furniture, accent pieces, and artwork.&nbsp; So, I went right to the colors that speak to me and are already present in our living room to see what I could find.&nbsp; As I perused the results, I was caught in my tracks by these great photos and products:</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched1.png" style="width: 513px; height: 500px;" /></p>
<p>
There it is!&nbsp; The perfect use of my colors, in a style I love.&nbsp; Amazing!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Home Decor Inspiration and Products by Color at SWATCHED.com" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched4.png" style="width: 600px; height: 239px;" /></p>
<p>
I absolutely love how every color has a name.&nbsp; It turns out, at least in my living room, I&#39;m a big fan of colors called &quot;<a href="http://swatched.com/decor/6d9292">Juniper</a>&quot;, &quot;<a href="http://swatched.com/decor/5d5c58">Chicago</a>&quot;, and &quot;<a href="http://swatched.com/decor/c99415">Pizza</a>&quot;.&nbsp; That sounds about right...a little bit earthy, a little metropolis, and a lot of cheese! :)</p>
<p>
<a href="http://swatched.com/decor/6d9292"><img alt="Juniper Colored Home Decor on SWATCHED" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched3.png" style="width: 600px; height: 704px;" /></a></p>
<p>
Oh, but there are lots of rooms in my house, and <em>so many</em> colors to love...I think it&#39;s time to get clicking, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/swatched">PIN</a><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/swatched">ning</a>, and shopping, and...well, go check it out!&nbsp; And then come back and tell me <em>your </em>favorite color! :)&nbsp; I bet it has a super-cute name....</p>
<p>
<a href="http://swatched.com"><img alt="SWATCHED - Explore Home Decor by Color" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/swatched_colors.png" style="width: 600px; height: 93px;" /></a></p>
<p>
Swatched is <em>brand new</em> and still growing!&nbsp; Like it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swatched">Facebook</a> to find out about new feature rollouts and follow Swatched on <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/swatched">Pinterest</a> for daily pins in your favorite colors.</p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1836#commentsAndreaBendecoratingTue, 28 Oct 2014 00:04:59 +0000Andrea1836 at http://www.andreasteed.comOmbre for Dre - Ombre on Long Dark Hairhttp://www.andreasteed.com/node/1774
<p>
I&#39;ve never colored my hair....until yesterday.&nbsp; Since it takes me about 6 months to a year just to get back to the salon to get my hair cut, regular color maintenance is all kinds of inconvenient for me.</p>
<p>
But...lately I&#39;ve been kind of bored with my hair, which is about the time I get tempted to chop it off and sport a look more like this:</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
<img alt="short curly bob hair cut" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ec/47/79/ec4779bdef79fe323c735dc79a496e1b.jpg" style="width: 185px; height: 272px;" /></p>
<p>
It&#39;s taken so long to grow my hair out this long though, so I thought instead of chopping it off, I might try some color this time instead.&nbsp;&nbsp; With the help of Google, Pinterest and Instagram, I stumbled upon a hair color option that wouldn&#39;t require such regular touch-up maintenance, since it leaves the roots dark--Ombre Hair:</p>
<p>
<img alt="Ombre Color Ideas for Long Dark Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/ombrehairideas.jpg" style="width: 575px; height: 783px;" /></p>
<p>
It seemed like the PERFECT way for me to try out a new shade...</p>
<p>
I gathered up these inspiration photos and asked my stylist <em>(Angela Bradley at <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0CCkQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fthestonesalon.com%2F&amp;ei=dYqIU-3YNcHNsQTWzoLQAQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNHwAzYqH4huZK9G7-4JewXW_dJ2wA&amp;sig2=iHIzGVvdI6ABgpWZrwnYGA&amp;bvm=bv.67720277,d.cWc">Stone Salon</a> at the Preserve in Hoover, AL)</em> if she could make me look like <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=kate+beckinsale&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=kYqIU-qQErLFsASQk4DgCg&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&amp;biw=1920&amp;bih=894">Kate Beckinsale</a>.&nbsp; She did the best she could with what she had to work with (me!).&nbsp; And, though I still wouldn&#39;t win in a Kate Beckinsale look-alike competition, I&#39;m VERY happy with the new look:</p>
<p>
<img alt="Ombre on Long Dark Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/ombre_andrea2.jpg" style="width: 575px; height: 1022px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="Ombre Hairstyle - Dark Brown Long Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/ombre_back.jpg" style="width: 575px; height: 918px;" /></p>
<p>
I was nervous, but excited when I went in to color my hair for the first time.&nbsp; I know for many people, this is just an old-hat no-big-deal sort of thing, but for my first time--it was kind of a big deal.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I had NO idea how long the process takes.&nbsp; I was at the salon for just over 3 hours, and my neck got tired from holding up all that foil!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<img alt="Before &amp; After Ombre Hair - Long Dark Hair" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/before_after_ombre.jpg" style="width: 575px; height: 422px;" /></p>
<p>
In the end, I think it&#39;s <em>just </em>the change I needed.&nbsp; Something subtle, but different, and perfect for the summer.&nbsp; If I get tired of it after a few months, I can always cut it off--but maybe I won&#39;t! ;)</p>
<p>
I&#39;m interested to see how the color gradient looks in my <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2013/yadmor15.jpg">signature braid</a>, or with <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1296">natural curls</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<br />
<img alt="ombre for long dark hairstyle" src="http://www.andreasteed.com/files/u2/2014/ombre_long_dark_hair.jpg" style="width: 1px; height: 1px;" /></p>
http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1774#commentsAndreafashionFri, 30 May 2014 01:11:32 +0000Andrea1774 at http://www.andreasteed.com